1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of monitoring a dialysis unit, and has particular application to "acetate free" treatment.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is known, when a doctor prescribes a specific dialysis treatment, he indicates the value of certain parameters which must be set by the operator on the dialysis machine prior to starting the treatment. In practice, the values of the parameters to be set are correlated unambiguously with one or more variables whose control forms the objective of the treatment. For instance, in case of "acetate free" treatment there are five parameters to be set, i.e. type of filter used, type of infusion pack used (supplied as bicarbonate concentration in the infusion pack), blood flow, infusion rate and ultrafiltration rate (supplied as a weight loss) and their value in practice determines the desired bicarbonataemia in the blood in a stable condition.
In these conditions, alteration by the operator of one of the treatment parameters (in particular the last three, bearing in mind that the type of filter and the type of pack used cannot in theory be modified during the actual treatment) generally causes a variation of the bicarbonataemia and therefore a modification of the prescription which may in some cases, if not controlled, place the patient at risk. Such risk includes reduction in blood flow or even its stoppage which in turn may lead in to alkalosis.
Although mathematical models which provide the relationship existing between the treatment parameters set by the operator and the variable formed by the doctor's prescription are currently available, known machines do not in general provide for any control of this variable with the result that it is impossible to avoid risk situations.